--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: \"Government\" is the name we give to the…" description: "\"\"Government\" is the name we give to the things we choose to do together.\" — Deval Patrick" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/910/deval-patrick-15111_choose_government-is-the-name-we-give-to-the-th_1268303.png" --- # "Government" is the name we give to the things we choose… ![“"Government" is the name we give to the things we choose to do together.” quote by Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/910/deval-patrick-15111_choose_government-is-the-name-we-give-to-the-th_1268303.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/910/deval-patrick-15111_choose_government-is-the-name-we-give-to-the-th_1268303.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/910/deval-patrick-15111_choose_government-is-the-name-we-give-to-the-th_1268303.png) > “"Government" is the name we give to the things we choose to do together.” [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Collective action defines government; shared goals shape policy. **In simple terms:** Government = shared actions. Key Takeaway Collaborate on common goals. Themes governance collective action shared purpose Mood thoughtful encouraging Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - legislative sessions - local initiatives - nonprofit projects Key Concepts public policy community building civic engagement Questions to Reflect On - What shared goals can you champion? - How do you handle dissent in groups? A Different Perspective Differing opinions can stall collective decisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-things-1900938/) [Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things/) [Things Choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-choose-292221/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) ## Related quotes > [“Thoughts are things - choose the good ones!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-dooley/thoughts-are-things-choose-the-good-ones/) [Mike Dooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-dooley/) > [You choose the right things that's why you choose real friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kira-permunian/you-choose-the-right-things-that-s-why-you-choose-real-friends/) [Kira Permunian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kira-permunian/) > [My experience in government is that when things are non-controversial and beautifully coordinated, there is not much going on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-experience-in-government-is-that-when-things-are-non-controversial/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you give government five things to do, we might do two or three but if you give us three things to do, we'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gladys-berejiklian/if-you-give-government-five-things-to-do-we-might-do-two-or-three-but/) [Gladys Berejiklian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gladys-berejiklian/) > [We don't need to completely dumb things down. We need to speak about things in an accessible way. But we have a responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-psaki/we-don-t-need-to-completely-dumb-things-down-we-need-to-speak-about/) [Jen Psaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-psaki/) > [. . . Government should do only those things the people cannot do for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/government-should-do-only-those-things-the-people-cannot-do-for/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [In city hall and in local government, you have to get things done without drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gray/in-city-hall-and-in-local-government-you-have-to-get-things-done/) [Jim Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gray/) > [Government should do a few things, and do them right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/government-should-do-a-few-things-and-do-them-right/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Government cannot be all things to all people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-d-hull/government-cannot-be-all-things-to-all-people/) [Jane D. Hull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-d-hull/) > [The challenge for any government is how do you do two things at the same time. How do you put money forward for things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-lew/the-challenge-for-any-government-is-how-do-you-do-two-things-at-the/) [Jacob Lew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-lew/) > [It often takes time for the Israeli government to get things done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naftali-bennett/it-often-takes-time-for-the-israeli-government-to-get-things-done/) [Naftali Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naftali-bennett/) > [By raising bread-and-butter issues, we remind the Government of the things that it may forget or ignore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pritam-singh/by-raising-bread-and-butter-issues-we-remind-the-government-of-the/) [Pritam Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pritam-singh/) > [In government, things do not move too quick. That is why I am trying to introduce a new culture: so that things move more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-zuma/in-government-things-do-not-move-too-quick-that-is-why-i-am-trying-to/) [Jacob Zuma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-zuma/) > [Government can only do two things: It can beat people up and kill them. Or it can threaten to do so. When it seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/government-can-only-do-two-things-it-can-beat-people-up-and-kill-them/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [If you're in government, that's one of the one things you have to do is to always avoid even the appearance of a conflict…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-binney/if-you-re-in-government-that-s-one-of-the-one-things-you-have-to-do/) [William Binney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-binney/) ## More by Deval Patrick > [Hope for the best and work for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/hope-for-the-best-and-work-for-it/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [Anybody who knows me knows that I'm no attack dog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/anybody-who-knows-me-knows-that-i-m-no-attack-dog/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [ Two \[Massachusetts coal burning power plants\] remain: Brayton Point in the South Coast region and Mt. Tom, just down the road. Within the next… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/two-massachusetts-coal-burning-power-plants-remain-brayton-point-in/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [My most vivid memory of my father centers on the day he left. It was warm, and my mother was especially short with Rhonda…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/my-most-vivid-memory-of-my-father-centers-on-the-day-he-left-it-was/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [I’m planning to stay in politics now, but, you know, George Burns worked until he was 100. I don’t know. I don’t want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/i-m-planning-to-stay-in-politics-now-but-you-know-george-burns-worked/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [It's a free country. I wish it weren't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/it-s-a-free-country-i-wish-it-weren-t/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [One great thing about being a black man is that if you put on a hat, you can move around unnoticed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/one-great-thing-about-being-a-black-man-is-that-if-you-put-on-a-hat/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [I have never taken a job or done a job where I felt I needed to leave my conscience at the door. One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/i-have-never-taken-a-job-or-done-a-job-where-i-felt-i-needed-to-leave/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [I don't want to be a senator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/i-don-t-want-to-be-a-senator/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [I very much believe in values-based leadership and that the values that I believe in and try to govern by are transcendent values.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/i-very-much-believe-in-values-based-leadership-and-that-the-values/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [We have drained common sense out of our politics. The more we focus on tactics and games, the more good people check out and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/we-have-drained-common-sense-out-of-our-politics-the-more-we-focus-on/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [People read inevitability as entitlement, and the American people want their candidates to sweat for the job. They want them to actually make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/people-read-inevitability-as-entitlement-and-the-american-people-want/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [This is a horrific day in Boston. My thoughts and prayers are with those who have been injured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/this-is-a-horrific-day-in-boston-my-thoughts-and-prayers-are-with/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [In the view of some people, you can only believe in civil rights if you work as a civil rights lawyer. I just don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/in-the-view-of-some-people-you-can-only-believe-in-civil-rights-if/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [I went to big, broken, under-resourced public schools, but we had a real sense of community, because those were days in the '50s and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/i-went-to-big-broken-under-resourced-public-schools-but-we-had-a-real/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) [Explore all 44 Deval Patrick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) ## More Choose quotes > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [If somebody asks me to choose a biopic, it would be Narain Karthikeyan because I love racing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naga-chaitanya/if-somebody-asks-me-to-choose-a-biopic-it-would-be-narain-karthikeyan/) [Naga Chaitanya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naga-chaitanya/) > [“Either you soften your ego, or the world will do it for you. Choose!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-mccoy/either-you-soften-your-ego-or-the-world-will-do-it-for-you-choose/) [Bert McCoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bert-mccoy/) > [I'm aware of who I am and I'm comfortable with who I choose to date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shibani-dandekar/i-m-aware-of-who-i-am-and-i-m-comfortable-with-who-i-choose-to-date/) [Shibani Dandekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shibani-dandekar/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [If you choose to work at a larger company over a smaller company, you are more likely to be higher paid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-sweet/if-you-choose-to-work-at-a-larger-company-over-a-smaller-company-you/) [Julie Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-sweet/) > [You can't choose what stays and what stays away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/you-can-t-choose-what-stays-and-what-stays-away/) [Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/) > [It's only a thought and a thought can be changed. Choose good ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/it-s-only-a-thought-and-a-thought-can-be-changed-choose-good-ones/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime...so you gotta choose who is good for you! Be wise, be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-come-into-your-life-for-a-reason-a-season-or-a-lifetime-so-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not opposed - we manufacture a lot of socks in North Carolina - I just choose not to wear them. It's a Southern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-burr/i-m-not-opposed-we-manufacture-a-lot-of-socks-in-north-carolina-i/) [Richard Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-burr/) > [Having too many options is bad. I want one person, just one. Not a whole bunch to choose from,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roderickthefirst/having-too-many-options-is-bad-i-want-one-person-just-one-not-a-whole/) [RoderickTheFirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roderickthefirst/) > [If I could be anyone, I'd choose the lead singer of Arcade Fire, Win Butler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-kardashian/if-i-could-be-anyone-i-d-choose-the-lead-singer-of-arcade-fire-win/) [Rob Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-kardashian/) > [People are as happy as they choose to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/people-are-as-happy-as-they-choose-to-be/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) [Browse all 3,851 Choose quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "\"Government\" is the name we give to the things we choose to do together.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Deval Patrick" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/government-is-the-name-we-give-to-the-things-we-choose-to-do-together/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choose" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/government-is-the-name-we-give-to-the-things-we-choose-to-do-together/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/910/deval-patrick-15111_choose_government-is-the-name-we-give-to-the-th_1268303.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/910/deval-patrick-15111_choose_government-is-the-name-we-give-to-the-th_1268303.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/910/deval-patrick-15111_choose_government-is-the-name-we-give-to-the-th_1268303.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“\"Government\" is the name we give to the things we choose to do together.” — Deval Patrick", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Deval Patrick", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "\"Government\" is the name we give...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/government-is-the-name-we-give-to-the-things-we-choose-to-do-together/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/government-is-the-name-we-give-to-the-things-we-choose-to-do-together/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```